Fair Comment and Criticism, blog post by John Hoff
Officer Targeted As A Diversion?
As promised in a "breaking news" blog post, here is everything The Adventures of Johnny Northside blog can dig up about Andrew Neal, suspected of targeting a Minneapolis police officer in the manner of the fatal targeting of two New York police officers...
Or so says the first version of the story.
Looking at the facts, JNS blog can't help but think the shooting may have been a desperate and stupid effort to create a diversion and pull off an escape while this suspect was being sought upon suspicion of burglary and domestic aggravated assault. We shall see.
Click here to visit Andrew Neal's Facebook page. He calls himself a "local truck driver" and states an affiliation with Minneapolis Community and Technical College.
Record As Long As My Arm
The Star Tribune notes this guy has a long record. Well, here is the long record in question:
27-CR-90-083706
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
11/07/1990
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
27-CR-91-048729
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
07/09/1991
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
69-K3-93-600813
NEAL, ANDREW NMN
10/14/1971
12/10/1993
- St. Louis-Duluth
Bouschor, David S.
Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
27-CR-95-053887
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
06/23/1995
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
27-CR-96-030431
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
04/17/1996
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
27-CR-05-074759
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
11/21/2005
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
27-CR-07-017117
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
03/19/2007
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Bartolomei, Luis
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
27-CR-08-53387
NEAL, ANDREW
10/14/1971
10/24/2008
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Southdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
Note the four previous counts of attempted murder and/or aiding and abetting murder. All these attempted murder charges were dropped in the course of legal proceedings.
In fact, let's look at the resolution of all these charges.
Taking them in order...
Drunk
In the first set of charges, everything was dismissed except the "alcohol concentration" within hours of driving, for which he did a day in the workhouse with 29 days suspended. There was a probation violation hearing. The guy couldn't stay out of trouble.
Lying
In the next set of charges he was convicted of giving a false name to the police and the alias was documented: Neal Drew. There were warrant requests issued as, once again, he couldn't stay out of trouble.
Motor Vehicle Tampering
In 1994, he was found guilty of tampering with a motor vehicle. And here is where I first see the confusion about whether this guy has "NMN" (no middle name) or whether he has a middle name that starts with "J" as some media are reporting. It matters little as he can be identified with his birthday of 10/14/1971.
Murderous (Allegedly) Witness Tampering (Guilty)
In 1995 he was charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder and witness tampering, though the aiding and abetting thing was dropped and he was convicted of witness tampering. The history of whether he went to prison or just got probation is such a mess I confess I can't quite figure it out, but it certainly looks like a long litany of second, third and fourth chances.
Why did the system treat this guy so well? Does he have a pleasing personality when he's not assaulting you?
Assaultive
In 1996 there were three counts of attempted murder against him, and three counts of second degree assault. He was convicted of two assault charges, all the attempted murder charges were dropped. Neal was sentenced but then the sentence was "modified" and then it was "amended" and hard time was "stayed." Toward the end, there, it looks like he was doing "community service." Yes, "community service" for charges that started out as three murder attempts but then got knocked down to something lesser.
A Period Where Neal "Turned His Life Around?"
Wow, from 1996 to 2005 there were no new charges in Minnesota. Was he in prison? Or Chicago? Or actually trying to walk the straight and narrow?
I vote for Chicago.
But in 2005 he was convicted for driving after suspension.
Attempted Murder Charges--Dropped--AGAIN!
In 2007 he was charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault, and possessing a pistol or assault weapon after being convicted of a crime. He was convicted of merely one assault charge, but the time was hard: 132 months in jail, with credit for 444 days served. Here is a link to what may have been his "welcome to prison" mug shot.
As recently as April of last year, there was activity in this case as some kind of motion was denied.
Driving Around, Waiting To Go To Prison?
Apparently while awaiting a resolution of the 2007 charges, Neal was charged with failure to produce proof of insurance, driving after suspension, and a cracked windshield. The cracked windshield was thrown out, which is good, because what can you do with a cracked windshield? (Weak little attempt at levity, there, by the blogger)
He got credit for 90 days served.
Not Long Out Of Prison And Back Into Trouble?
The MN DOC website shows that Neal was on supervised probation as of 12/12/2013. His supervision was not set to expire until 3/14/2018. During his period of freedom, Neal was an active Facebook user with 96 friends. His list of friends is notable for being overwhelmingly composed of attractive females; a couple of which appear to be escorts, strippers and/or porn models but in any case his Facebook friends are overwhelmingly young females.
Um, He's From Crystal
In North Minneapolis, we don't get THAT much crime from Crystal. We have our own local population of criminals, and then plenty of folks from "The Two Brooklyns" (Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center) and plenty of no-accounts hailing from Chicago. So a career criminal who makes his life in Crystal, well, that's more of a rarity.
His specific address in Crystal is 6621 Corvallis Ave. N., a house which seems to be for sale right now at $164,900. It also comes up as the home address of somebody named "Tequilla Neal."
Andrew Neal (whether he has a middle name or not) remains innocent until and unless proven guilty...despite the criminal record as long as my arm.
16 comments:
As it typical this blog has the story wrong. He was arrested for the burglary. There is no mention that Neal was the shooter, or is a suspect in the shooting.
Your speculation that he took the shot as a diversion is tabloid trash reporting, which we expect from Johnny Northside.
The facts are:
"The tenant who reported the early morning burglary spoke on condition of anonymity for fear for her safety. She said Neal had smashed in her kitchen window with a hammer. A friend was able to chase Neal, whom she knows, off the property with a pocket knife, she said."
-StarTribune
Neal had been chased away long before the police arrived.
rest assured I will find this piece of shit as soon as he comes home to Stillwater.
Kenny's son.
A Meldahl owned property...slum ass mother fucking landlords. outta take all of his license's also.
Comment rejected. The commenter asserts the property in question is owned by a particular North Minneapolis landlord even though it is not. Normally I would publish that comment and say, sorry, you are dead wrong but the comment also comes laced with profanity, so I'm just rejecting it.
I do not know who owns the property in Crystal but I doubt it's a Minneapolis landlord. Throw proof in my face to the contrary, if you can. As for the property at 1119 Logan Ave. N., it's owned by Northside Community LP, "Project For Pride In Living."
http://apps.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/piapp/generalinforpt.aspx?AppID=PIApp&PID=2102924220002
Kenny or Kenneth?
So Project For Pride In Living now harbours terrorists?
The angry anonymous commenter pretends to be a prison guard at Stillwater? OK, whatever.
The property at 1119 Logan Ave. N. was where this man was apprehended by police. It's not where the burglary took place (allegedly) and it's not where he lives, which is in Crystal.
I am being told by a source what the address was of the burglary and, yes, it's a Meldahl property. The comment with swearing directed at Meldahl is being published though I do not approve of its tone.
Thanks to a reader who caught a typo, "the Andrew Neal's Facebook page."
Angry white prison guards/ angry white cops? No!
As is usual for this blog you got it wrong. Andrew Neal has not been suspected of the shooting, only the burglary.
Moron - the guy is not suspected of being the shooter. Absolutely no truth to your headline.
By the looks of his rap sheet,looks like this guys a made man. You shoot a officer, and taken into custody?? Thought it was suppose to end with a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head?? Lol
He is, in fact, suspected of being the shooter and that much is clear from the "found a gun near where he was hiding" and "awaiting forensic testing" aspect of the criminal complaint against him. In fact, if he isn't criminally charged in the shooting before the end of this coming week I'll be surprised...
Then again, lab results can take time.
Rick Kupchella's "Bring Me The News" On February 21 published the following headline.
Suspect in custody in connection with shooting of Minneapolis cop
http://bringmethenews.com/2015/02/21/minneapolis-police-officer-in-stable-condition-after-overnight-shooting/
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